A Persisting Nontropical Focus of Burkholderia pseudomallei with Limited Genome Evolution over Five Decades

Abstract

Burkholderia pseudomallei is predominantly a tropical pathogen uncommonly found in the environment of temperate climatic regions. It is unclear if introduction into temperate regions is sporadic and temporary or if B. pseudomallei can persist in such environments. B. pseudomallei was identified in the environment of southwest Western Australia with melioidosis cases between 1966 and 1991. We report a new cluster with 23 animal fatalities in the same region from 2017, with B. pseudomallei again being recovered from the environment. Comparison of the isolates from the first and second clusters using genomics revealed a single sequence type, high clonality, and limited recombination, even though the time of recovery of the isolates spanned 51 years. This is a major contrast to the extensive genomic diversity seen in the tropics. Our data support the suggestion that B. pseudomallei has the ability to persist in nontropical environments, potentially in a latent state, and has the ability to activate following favorable conditions (rainfall) and then infect animals and humans.